Bodily injuries and ailments, particularly those related to sports and leisure activities, are often treated by topically applying a heat transfer element containing a nonambient temperature material to the external skin surface of the affected region of the body. For example, a heat transfer element that contains a low temperature material in the form of ice or a cold liquid is commonly applied to the external skin surface of an injured or ailing body region, advantageously inhibiting swelling thereof. Alternatively, a heat transfer element that contains a high temperature material in the form of hot water or an active heating element is applied to the external skin surface of an injured or ailing body region, advantageously reducing pain or promoting healing thereof.
A number of splint devices incorporating a heat transfer element are known in the art for topically applying nonambient temperature materials to the external skin surface of an injured or ailing body region as evidenced by U.S. Pat. No. 3,548,819 to Davis et al; U.S. Pat. No. 3,901,225 to Sconce; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,658 to Cronin. One disadvantage of such devices is that the low temperature materials become too warm during treatment because the body continuously transfers heat to the low temperature materials as they remain in contact with the external skin surface. Conversely, high temperature materials become too cool during treatment because the high temperature materials continuously transfer heat to the body. This disadvantage can be remedied by periodically replacing the nonambient temperature materials in the heat transfer element of the device. Although periodic replacement of the nonambient temperature materials avoids substantial treatment temperature fluctuations, it is cumbersome and inconvenient such that replacement of the materials is often neglected to the detriment of the treatment.
In response to this problem, a number of alternate treatment systems have been developed, wherein a cooling or heating fluid is continuously circulated by a motor-driven pump from a low or high temperature fluid reservoir to the heat transfer element. Such systems are typified by U.S. Pat. No. 2,726,658 to Chessey; U.S. Pat. No. 3,683,902 to Artemenko et al; and U.S. Pat. No. 4,962,761 to Golden. These systems are noteworthy in that they are relatively complex and thus, costly to manufacture and maintain, as well as being somewhat difficult to operate. Accordingly, the systems are not particularly practical for general use.
In contrast, a treatment device is disclosed by U.S. Pat. No. 787,920 to Hofmann having a manual pump, rather than a motor-driven pump, for periodically circulating a cooling or heating fluid from a fluid reservoir to the heat transfer element. The heat transfer element is a rigid hollow probe having a fixed elongate tubular configuration for application to the concave surface of a body cavity, such as the rectum. Because the heat transfer element of the Hofmann device lacks flexibility or a planar surface, it is not adaptable to topical application on external skin surfaces, particularly where the surface is relatively planar or convex. Accordingly, the device of Hofmann has little utility for topical treatment of injured or ailing body regions on or proximally underlying the external skin surface.
Given the proliferation of sports and leisure activities and the proliferation of injuries associated therewith, a widespread need exists for a practical therapeutic nonambient temperature treatment device applicable to the external skin surfaces of the body. Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device that maintains a relatively stable treatment temperature at a desired external skin surface by applying a heat transfer element containing a nonambient temperature treatment fluid to the external skin surface. It is another object of the present invention to provide such a device wherein the heat transfer element is conformable to the contours of the external skin surface. It is still another object of the present invention to provide such a device having a mechanism for circulating the nonambient temperature treatment fluid through the heat transfer element. It is a further object of the present invention to provide such a device that is relatively simple to operate and inexpensive to produce and maintain. It is yet another object of the present invention to provide such a device that can be employed in the home or in the workplace enabling cost-effective treatment that does not significantly disrupt the daily schedule of the user.